IIT Guwahati Builds Intubation Box For COVID Patients With Breathing Problems

New Delhi: The students of Indian Institute of Technology (IIT) Guwahati have developed a pocket-friendly intubation box for COVID-19 patients suffering from breathing problems.

The intubation box can be placed atop the patient’s bed to limit the flow of virus-laden droplets from the patient to the doctor during the process of intubation.

The six-member team that developed the prototype includes Prateek Manocha and Vrishank Bhardwaj, from the department of electrical engineering; Shwetank Panwar from the department of Bio-sciences and Bio-engineering and Vignesh Kumar from the department of Design.

According to the team, the primary prototype is being reviewed at major COVID-19 care centres including the All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS).

A B.Tech student at the Department of Bioscience, Umang Mathur told PTI, “Unlike other PPE, this box works effectively for multiple doctors and nurses treating the patient. While the transparent material allows visual access to the head of the patient inside, the arm-holes on the box allow for the care-provider to perform any necessary tasks including intubation and extubation, which are both processes known to be cough inducing. Further, the boxes are reusable, as they may be cleaned thoroughly with 70 per cent alcohol or bleach, to allow use for the next patient.”